Tubular lantern



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

0. J. HIGGINS.

TUBULAR LANTERN.

No. 433,243. Patented July 29, 1890.

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O. J.v HIGGINS.

TUBULAR LANTERN.

No. 433,243. a Patented July 29, 1890.

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UNITED STATES PAT NT OFFICE.

CHARLES J. HIGGINS, OF IIALLOIVELL, MAINE.

TUBULAR LANTERN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 433,243, dated July 29,1890.

Application filed November 26, 1889. Serial No. 331,609. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES J. HIGGINS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Hallowell, in the county of Penobscot and State of Maine,have invented a new and useful Improvement in Tubular Lanterns, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of lanterns which are provided withside tubes, through which the air for the support of the flame isconducted from the vicinity of the top of the globe to the burner.

The objects of my invention are to provide simple means for exposing theburner for lighting, extinguishing, trimming, cleaning, 650.; also, tosimplify the construction of the burner; also, to provide simple andcompact devices for supplying air to the tubes at the top of the globe;also, to provide an indicator, whereby the height of the level of oil inthe oil-pot is shown; also, to improve the lantern in various otherrespects, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in theclaims.

In the accompanying drawings, consisting of two sheets, Figure 1. is anelevation of a lantern provided with my improvements. Fig. 2 is anelevation, partly in section, at right angles to Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is ahorizontal section in line at 113, Fig. 1. Fig. at is a top plan view,partly in section. Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation of the globe inposition on the burner. Fig. 6 is a similar view showing the globeraised. Fig. 7 is a similar view showing the globe tilted or tippedover. Fig. 8 is a top view of the globe.

Like letters of reference refer to likeparts in the several figures.

A represents the oil-pot, a the air-chamber secured to the top thereof,and B the wicktube secured in the top of the oil-not and provided withan upper removable portion 1), which carries the wick-adjuster.

C Orepresent the side tubes, which connect at their lower ends with theair-chamber a, and are preferably provided near the air-chamber withperforations a for the admission of an additional supply of fresh air.

D is the globe.

E represents the lantern-top, consisting of an inverted cup or saucershaped plate 6, which is arranged over the top of the globe,

and a marginal annular air-chamber f, which is formed along the edge ofthe top and on the under side thereof by securing an annular piece oftin of angular cross-section to the edge of the top plate and to theunder side of the top at a short distance above its edge. The top, withthis annular chamber along its margin, forms a double air-chamber, whichcollects in its central portion the heated air arising from the globeand delivers a portion of this air to the annular chamber f throughopenings 9 in the inner wall of the chamber, while the rest of theheated air and products of combustion escape through perforations h inthe top plate or underneath the bottom of the annular chamber. The upperends of the tube are connected with the lower side of the annularchamber f, so as to receive the air therefrom.

I represents the perforated plate upon which the globe rests. This platecarries the burner-cone 2 which is either stamped on the plate or madeseparate therefrom and secured to the same. The plate is provided with adownwardly-projecting annular rim or bead j, which is stamped on theplate and enters the top of the air-chamber and secures a close fit ofthe plate therewith. This plate is attached to the lantern-frame byupwardlyprojecting hinge and guide bars or rods K K, secured to thelower portion of the lantern and projecting upwardly into the globethrough openings 7;, formed in the plate, and preferably re-enforced byeyelets. As shown in the drawings, the bars K are provided with lateralor horizontal portions or shoulders Z, on which the perforated plate canbe tilted back, as represented in Fig. 7, and with upright portions Z,on which the perforated plate can be raised and lowered, as representedin Fig. 0, so that this device by which the plate is attached to thelantern performs the dual function of a hinge and rectilinear guide andpermits the plate and globe to be either tipped over or raised, as maybe desired. The upright portions of the bars or rods form back supportsor steps, against which the plate rests when it is swung back, and whichrelieves the parts from strains which would tend to bend or destroy thehinge parts.

M represents a wire clasp or frame, which is attached to the perforatedplate, and which serves to hold the globe on the plate and also operatesas a guard. This claspis sufficiently elastic to permit of the readyinsertion and removal of the globe when tipped over, and is preferablyprovided'with thumb-pieces m for conveniently seizing it in raising ortilting the globe.

The tubes are provided with stops, which engage with the clasp and holdthe latter and the perforated plate and globe in their normal positionon the burner, and also in an elevated position. The stops which Iprefer to use because of their simplicity are notches m and 171*, formedin the seams on the inner sides of the tubes, and in which the topportions of the wire clasp engage. The lower notches m hold the globe inits normal position on the burner, and the upper notches m hold it in anelevated position. The top portions of the wire clasp or frame areindented to fit against the inner sides of the tubes, as represented inFig. 3. These indented portions straddle the inner sides of the tubesand operate as additional side guides in raising and lowering theglobeframe on the rear guides K, whereby the globesupporting plate I ismore securely held in a horizontal position as it is moved toward andfrom the burner.

N represents a float, which is pivoted or oth-- erwise arranged in theoil-pot on one side of the filler-opening n, and which is provided atits free end with a pointer or indicator 0, which is arranged underneaththe filleropening. This pointer is preferably bent upwardly, so that itrises into the filler-openingin advance of the oil. As the oil rises inthe oil pot, the float, which is made of cork or any other buoyantmaterial, rises, and the pointer rises in the filler-opening andindicates the position of the oil-level. The float itself is arranged onone side of the filler-opening, and therefore not liable to obstruct thesame and cause spattering of the oil.

The globe is provided at its top with the usual bead 10, which assistsin injecting fresh air into the top chamber of the lantern. This beadis, however, flattened or cut away at both sides opposite the tubes, asrepresented at q, in order to reduce the width of the lantern.

The burner-cone being formed with or secured to the perforated plate,itis swung away from the wick-tube with the plate, whereby the trimmingof the wick is greatly facilitated, while the construction of the burneris rendered exceedingly simple and cheap, and yet made safe, as theparts of the burner are securely attached to the oil-pot.

In order to reach the burner for lighting and extinguishing, it is mostconvenient to raise the globe, because the overhanging weight of atipped globe is objectionable when the lantern is held in the hand; butfor trimming the wick it is more convenient to tip the globe back,because better access is thereby afforded tothe wick-tube. Afterremoving the globe from the clasp the perforated plate. with the wireclasp or globe-holder attached thereto, can be readily slipped from theguide-bars K and so be detached from the lantern for more convenientlycleaning the parts and for other purposes.

By forming the burner-cone on the perforated plate'or securing itthereto the size and cost of the cone are reduced, as the skirt or coneplate is dispensed with.

The globe frame or clasp holds the upper end of the globe normally belowthe lanterntop, as represented in Fig. 1, so that fresh air can enterthe lantern-top over the upper end of the globe and the-products ofcombustion can escape from the globe. When the globesupport is raisedfor exposing the burner, the upper end of the globe enters thelantern-top, as represented in Fig. 6, the inner air-chamber being madesomewhat larger than the top of the globe for this purpose.

My improved construction reduces the size of the lantern and renders itcompact and comparatively cheap of manufacture, while the deviceswhereby access is given to the burner are extremely simple and durableand much more convenient than those heretofore known.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination, with the lantern-frame andthe movable globe-support, of a hinge and guide which permit theglobe-support and the globe attached thereto to be tilted or to beraised and lowered, as desired, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with the lantern-frame and the movableglobe-support, of bars or rods secured to the lantern-frame and havinglateral portions on which the globe-support can be tilted and uprightportions on which it can be raised and lowered, substantially as setforth.

3. The combination, with thelantern-frame normal and in araisedposition, substantially.-

as set forth. 7

5. The combination, with the oil-pot, an airchamber secured thereto,tubes connected with the air-chamber, and a wick-tube attached to theoil-pot, of a movable globe-sup-- porting plate provided with adownwardlyprojecting annular bead formed integral with said plate, and aburner-cone attached to said plate within said bead, substantially asset forth.

6. The combination, with the lantern-frame and the movable globe-supportarranged in said frame, of a globe provided at its upper end with a beadhaving its portions opposite the side parts of the lantern-frame removedor flattened, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination, with the oil-pot having a filler-opening, of a floatarranged in the oilpot on one side of the filler-opening and providedwith an indicator or pointer underneath the filler-opening,substantially as set forth.

8. The combination, with a tubular lanternframe provided with a fixedtop, of a globesupportiug plate capable of moving up and down in thetubular frame, a globe, and a globe-frame which is attached to saidplate and which holds the globe on said plate independent of the lantern-top, substantially as Set forth.

9. The combination, with a tubular lanternframe provided with a topadapted to receive the upper end of the globe when raised, of aglobcsupporting plate independent of the lantern-top capable of movingup and down in the tubular frame, a globe, and a globeframe whichisattached to said plate and which holds the globe with its upper endnormally below the lantern-top, and raises the upper end of the globeinto the lantern-top upon raising the globe-plate from the burner,substantially as set forth.

10. The combination, with a tubular lantern-frame provided with a topadapted to receive the upper end of the globe when raised, of aglobe-supporting plate independent of the lantern-top, guides on whichthe globeplate can be moved up and down in the tubular frame, a globe,and a globe-frame which is attached to said plate and which holds theglobe with its upper end normally below the lantern-top, and raises theupper end of the globe into the lantern-top upon raising the globe-platefrom the burner, substantially as set forth.

11. The combination, with a tubular lantern-frame, of a movableglobe-supporting plate, a frame attached to said plate, whereby theglobe is held on the same, and side guides and rear guides on which theglobe-plate and frame are moved toward and from the burner, and wherebythe globe-plate is steadied between the tubes and in rear of the tubes,substantially as set forth.

Witness my hand this 21st day of November, 1889.

CHARLES J. HIGGINS.

Witnesses:

THEO. L. POPP, CHESTER D. HOWE.

